The present invention generally relates to a pressure vessel, a system and/or a method for dispensing a comestible mixture. More specifically, the present invention relates to a pressure vessel, a system and/or a method that may be used to cool, freeze and/or entrain a gas into the comestible mixture before dispensing the same. The pressure vessel may have a lid and a body that may be connected to form an air-tight compartment. The compartment may be sized to receive a deformable bag of the comestible mixture. The bag may have an opening to communicate the comestible mixture from the bag and/or the compartment through a hole in the lid. The pressure vessel, the system and/or the method may have a compressor and/or other source of compressed gas and a hose to communicate the compressed gas from the compressor and/or the other source of compressed gas into the compartment. Further, the hose may communicate the gas to a mixing chamber, a freezing chamber and/or a cooling chamber. Moreover, the pressure vessel, the system and/or the method may have a tube to communicate the comestible mixture from the bag to the nixing chamber, the freezing chamber or the cooling chamber.
It is generally known that chilled or frozen confections are stored, prepared and dispensed from a dispensing machine, such as, for example, a soft-serve ice cream machine and/or a frozen yogurt machine. The dispensing machine may have a holding tank for storing and/or refrigerating the confections prior to mixing, freezing, entrainment and/or dispensation. The confections are transported from the holding tank to a freezing chamber of the dispensing machine with a metering device, such as for example, a pump. The confections are mixed, chilled, frozen and/or entrained in the freezing chamber before being dispensed for packaging and/or consumption. Dispensing machines with holding tanks and pumps are refrigerated to retard bacterial growth in the confections. However, the holding tank, the pump and/or the freezing chamber must be cleaned and/or sanitized regularly to avoid bacterial contamination in the confections.
Further, it is generally known to store the confections in collapsible containers to allow the confection to be dispensed through the dispensing machine directly from the collapsible containers instead of the holding tank. The containers are collapsed by vacuum pneumatic pressure and/or pneumatic pistons which apply force to the collapsible container dispensing the confection from the collapsible container. Using collapsible containers retards bacterial growth and/or limits bacterial contamination in the confections and reduces the time required to maintain proper sanitization of the dispensing machine. However, known devices for using collapsible containers are difficult to load, maneuver, and connect to the vending machine. Moreover, known devices for using collapsible containers require pneumatic systems for collapsing the container that are separate from pneumatic systems used to entrain the confections before freezing and dispensation. As a result, known devices and dispensing machines for using collapsible containers are costly, difficult to manufacture and/or use and typically require larger amounts of space than dispensing machines with holding tanks.
A need, therefore, exists for a pressure vessel, a system and/or a method for dispensing a comestible mixture. Additionally, a need exists for a pressure vessel, a system and/or a method that may be used to cool, freeze and/or entrain a gas into the comestible mixture before dispensing the same. Further, a need exists for a pressure vessel, a system and/or a method that has a lid and a body that may be connected to form an air-tight compartment sized to receive a bag of the comestible mixture. Still further, a need exists for a pressure vessel, a system and/or a method that may retard bacterial growth in the comestible mixture and/or that may limit exposure of the comestible mixture to bacteria and/or other contaminants. Still further, a need exists for a pressure vessel, a system and/or a method that may have a handle to allow a user to maneuver the pressure vessel and/or the comestible mixture. Still further, a need exists for a pressure vessel, a system and/or a method that has a single compressor or other source of compressed gas to pressurize the compartment and to entrain the gas into the comestible mixture in the freezing chamber. Still further, a need exists for a pressure vessel, a system and/or a method that has a hose to communicate the compressed gas into the compartment and into the freezing chamber. Still further, a need exists for a pressure vessel, a system and/or a method that has a tube to communicate the comestible mixture from the bag into the freezing chamber. Moreover, a need exists for a pressure vessel, a system and/or a method that may be used to sanitize the tube, the freezing chamber and/or other components of the system.